Feature #1: Wildly rugged and remote - this tundra coastal lodge provides photographers the ability to dedicate long days in the field getting up close and personal with Arctic Wildlife. Your journey of exploration and adventure will take place at our fly-in only Seal River Heritage Lodge located in the heart of polar bear country.

Feature #2: This adventure offers ground level photo opportunities for Arctic wildlife, including polar bears, in a pristine untrammeled wilderness setting. Polar bears, caribou, and Arctic fox can be photographed in a backdrop of stunning sea and landscapes. Our Lodge's shoreline location is ideal for photographing bears on ice and snow.

Feature #3: Located on the shoreline of the Hudson Bay we have experienced an exceptional number of clear nights for northern light photography and we have the highest number of sunshine days on the coast. We also have the best morning and evening light opportunities. You can also look forward to the finest food and wine in the Arctic! Mealtimes will be adjusted or delayed as required to ensure maximum photo opportunities.

This exclusive seminar is guided by our underlying belief that success in any photographic discipline is largely characterized by the ability to see and understand the quality, quantity, and other physical properties of light and how they relate to your subject and capture medium. We will give you the knowledge and tools you need to take control of your imagery and produce wildlife photographs that are a cut above. Emphasis will be placed on the five key ingredients that are paramount to consistently producing successful imagery in the digital world: knowing the fundamentals, familiarity with your equipment, being pro-active, knowing your subject, and knowing your way around the digital darkroom.

Chas will share the thought processes behind the making of an image and the techniques used to produce consistently successful images in the field. This includes a Pro-Active methodology that is guaranteed to forever change the way you approach photography. The faster you are able to assess the conditions as presented and employ the tools and techniques necessary to render the image as desired, the more likely you are to accomplish your goal. Metering and exposure will be covered in depth. You will learn how and when to use the various metering patterns and exposure modes to generate optimum results. The advantages and detriments of Manual vs. Automatic exposure modes will be covered at length. The objective is to instill a firm understanding of the fundamentals of metering and exposure so that you can quickly make informed decisions in the field and come away with the envisioned image regardless of the lighting circumstance. The ultimate goal is to put creative control back into the hands of the photographer. Today’s DSLRs are sophisticated and complex with many advanced features and custom functions at your disposal. We will discuss camera settings that are useful for wildlife photography as well as other tips and techniques for handling your gear in the field including advice for shooting in inclement weather.

Creating wildlife images with visual impact requires more than just technical proficiency with your camera. We will also discuss some of the visual skills needed such as simplifying the scene, subject placement, eliminating distractions, shooting angle, orientation of the light source, choosing foregrounds and backgrounds, and the use of compositional elements like leading lines, diagonals, negative space, balance, and symmetry. In addition, we will look at how an understanding of animal behavior can better allow us to approach wildlife and to capture the decisive moment. In the digital world, proper use of post-processing tools is a critical ingredient to creating a visually stunning. The post-production techniques illustrated will change the way you expose and think about capturing images in-camera.

Itinerary Day 1 - ARRIVE IN WINNIPEG FOR YOUR OVERNIGHT STAY Arrive in Winnipeg where you will enjoy a relaxing stay at our choice hotel. You will need your rest for your early morning departure to Churchill. Dinner will be held at our classy hotel at 7:00pm where you will meet your group and your adventure specialist.

Day 2 - AN ARCTIC ARRIVAL AND AERIAL TOUR Arrive in Churchill by air where one of our expert staff will meet you at the airport and will provide you with an orientation to the tour including a clothing check (in order to crosscheck your "What to Bring" list as provided to you in email and in your Adventure Album). You will then be transferred by fixed wing aircraft or helicopter to our Seal River Heritage Lodge. This exciting flight takes you out over the historic Churchill River, and then northwest up the rugged Hudson Bay coast to Canada‘s most exclusive Polar Bear viewing properties. Keep a sharp eye out en route for caribou, moose, seals, wolf and of course the Great Ice Bears. Upon your arrival, your hosts will provide a tour of the Lodge and get you settled into your room. A thorough orientation on traveling in polar bear country will be provided prior to any outings. Then it's time to assemble all those priceless cameras, hard drives, and tripods and start burning some serious gigabytes!

Day 3 - 5 - TUNDRA TREKKING, POLAR BEARS, AND PRICELESS PHOTOGRAPHY! Our Seal River Heritage Lodge is a wildly rugged and remote location catering to the dedicated wildlife photographer willing to spend long hours in the field getting up close and personal with the arctic wildlife. Ground level photo opportunities are offered for arctic wildlife including polar bears in a pristine wilderness setting. We ARE in the heart of polar bear country! Your photos will have stunning backdrops with the sea and or landscapes surrounding the Lodge. Its shoreline location is ideal for photographing bears on snow and ice. Furthermore we have an exceptional number of clear nights for northern lights photography. As we mentioned in the features our gourmet meal service times will be adjusted to accommodate photo opportunities which are the priority so expect many a meal to be interrupted. Generally breakfast is served at 8:00 am, lunch as required; with appetizers at 6:00 pm followed by a veritable feast for the palate at 7:00 pm. Evenings are spent near the fireplace downloading images, sharing the day's adventures, or taking in an informative lecture or slide show. Bedtime is at your leisure. The entire Lodge area is monitored for polar bears all night by one of our night watchmen so be prepared to have your sleep cut short by a nocturnal visit by one of the Great Ice Bears (or by one of our dazzling displays of northern lights!).

Day 6 - SAY GOODBYE TO THE LODGE! After another hearty breakfast it is time to pack for the flight back to Churchill, say good-byes and snap a few more pictures! After another exciting aerial tour, you will arrive in Churchill where your bags will be stored for you until your flight back to Winnipeg later in the day. You are then free to explore and wine & dine in this frontier community at your leisure. We recommend local places such as Cape Merry, the Port of Churchill, the Eskimo Museum, the Polar Bear Holding Compound (otherwise known as the Polar Bear Jail), as well as the Parks Canada exhibit which are all of great interest. Dog sledding and helicopter charters fit nicely into this afternoon if you are so inclined. If you are interested in a dog sledding tour please book through us so we can ensure you arrive in Churchill in time for your tour departure. We work with Blue Sky Mushing and you can visit their website at www.blueskymush.com. For aerial tours you can contact Hudson Bay Helicopters at info@hudsonbayheli.com or by phone at 204-675-2576. You will have a choice of Churchill restaurants for an early dinner and will be provided with a $30.00 dinner voucher. Participating restaurants will be listed on the voucher. After dinner you will meet up with our expeditor and you will be transferred to the airport in preparation for your flight back to Winnipeg. Upon your arrival into Winnipeg you will check back into the Grand Winnipeg Airport Hotel for the night.

Day 7 - TIME FOR REALITY... After a restful sleep you will pack your bags in preparation for your flight home. You will also enjoy a breakfast at your hotel before your trip back to reality.